Automatic take-up device



Aug. w, 1924.

F. JERDONE, JR

AUTOMATIC TAKE-UP DEVICE Filed Feb. 24 1919 Patented Aug. 19, 1924.

' UNITED Y STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS JE'B'DONE, JR, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE WILLYS-OVEBLAN D COI- IPANY, 0F TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.-

AUTOMATIC TAKE-UP DEVICE.

Application filed February 24, 1919. Serial No. 278,772.

To all whom it mag/concern: I

Be it known that I, FRANCIS Jnnnonn, J r a citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, county of Lucas, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Take-Up Devices, of which I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an automatic take-up device, and has for its object to provide improved means adapted to compensate for lost motion between two or more co-operating mechanisms or devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in an automatic take-up device, a spring actuated wedge 'shaped member adapted to be moved transversely of and between two reciprocably mounted cooperating parts, to compensate for lost motion between said parts and the actuating means therefor.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive automatic take-up device, which is particularly adapted to compensate for lost motion between the valves and cam shaft of an internal combustion engine, such as is used on motor driven vehicles.

To these and other ends the invention comprises certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, it being understood that the invention is susceptible to certain changes or modifications not shown in the drawing, which will be comprehended by the appended claims.

A; structure constituting one embodiment of my invention, is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which Figurev I is a fragmentary. sectional elevation showing the application of my invention as applied between the valves and cam shaft of an internal combustion engine.

Figure II is a sectional elevation taken on line 11-11 of Figure I.

Figure III is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a modified form of the invention.

Figure IV is a sectional elevation taken on the line IV-IV of Figure III.

Figure V is a detailed, perspective view of the wed e shownin Figure II Figure is a fragmentary, sectional elevation of another modification of the invention.

S milar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

The automatic take-up device shown and descnbed herein as a compensatingmeans for lost mot on between the valves and cam shaft of an Internal combustion engine may readily be applied to other mechanisms where it 1s desired to provide compensating means for lost motion between an operating and operated member or members, it being understood that the present application is merely lllustrative of one of the uses to which the'invention may be put.

Referrlng to the drawing, 10 re resents a portlon of the cylinder block 0 an internal combustion engine, and 11 the cam shaft ofthe en e. The valves 12 are provided with t e usual valve stems 13 through the lower ends of which are extended the pins 14 for supporting the spring seats 15 carrying the lower ends of the valve clos ng springs 16, the upper ends of said sprin s being held by the valve stem guides 17, w ic-h are preferably cast integral with the cylinder block. Seated upon the cams 18 of the cam shaft 11 are the heads 19 of the push rods 20, which. are reciprocably mounted in the guides 21 of the engine frame or block 10. The upper end of the push rod 20 may be reduced as indicated at 22 in Figures I'and II to correspond in size to the valve stem 13, although said rods may be of one diameter throughout their entire length as shown in Figure VI. The reduced portions 22 'of the push rods 20 and the adjacent ends of the valve stems 13 are provided with transverse slots having inclined and convergently arranged faces 23 and 24: respectively, between which is mounted the wedge 25 provided with the threaded extensions 26, which is adaptedto extend through the central portion of the leaf spring 27 one end of which bears upon the valve stem and the other upon the reduced portion of said push rod as shown in Figure I. A nut 28 is carried by the extension 26 to hold and adjust the spring 27, and to permit the tension thereon to be increased or decreased as desired. A look nut 29 is provided upon the extensions 26 to prevent accidental displacement'of the nut 28. If desired the valve stem and reduced portion of the pushrod may each be notched or flattened, as indicated at 30 to form seats for the ends of the leaf spring 27 as shown in Figure I. The wedge 25 is held a ainst accidental displacement upon the va ve stem and push rod by being mounted between the guides formed by slotting said members as shown in Figure II. It will be readily understood, of course, that the spring 27 is constantly acting upon the wed e 25 to move it transversely of the rod an stem upon the inclined portions thereof in a manner tending to separate or move said members away from each other, thereby automatically taking up or com- 4 pensatmg for lost motion between the valves and cam shaft which may occur from time to time.

In the modification shown in Figures III and IV, instead of slotting the valve stem and push rod, I have beveled or inclined the adjacent ends of these members over the entire areas thereof, as indicated at 31 and 32 respectively. However, the wedge 33 1n this case is provided with the guides 34 at the opposite sides of the convergently arranged inclined faces 35 thereof, as clearly shown in Figure V. The wedge 33 is provided with a threaded extension 36, which may be screwed into or otherwise connected with the wedge. A coiled spring 37 is mounted upon the extension 36, and it is seated at one end upon the valve stem 13, and reduced portion 38 of the push 'rod 39, while the opposite end of said spring is seated upon the washer 40, which is held by the nut 41, the latter being engaged by a lock nut 42 as shown in Figure III. The spring 37 is preferably made large enough to encircle the end of the wedge with which the stem 36 is connected, but if desired, the wedge may be cut shorter than as shown to provide clearance between the smaller end of the wedge and the end of the spring engaging the valve stem and push rod. In this modification. the action and function of the wedge is the same as that of the wed shown in Figure I, which will be readily understood from the construction of parts as shown in the drawing.

In the modification shown in Figure VI, the valve stem 13 is slotted at its lower end, the same as shown in Figure I, but the ush rod 43 has not been reduced or beve ed as in the other figures. In this modification the wedge 44 is beveled only at the side which contacts with the valve stem as indicated at 45. i The opposite or lower face of the wedge is seated upon the upper end of the push rod in the manner indicated in Figure VI. The wedge 44 carries a threaded extension 46, on which is mount ed a bowed spring 47, the upper and lower ends of which are seated upon the valve stem and push rod respectively, said spring substantially to the curvature of the stem.

and push rod to prevent displacement of the s ring by rotation upon 'the extension 46. nut 48 is provided for holding said spring and for adjusting the same to vary the tension upon the spring.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an automatic take-up device, the combination of the valve stem and push rod of an internal combustion engine, a wedge mounted between the adjacent ends of sald stem and push rod, each of said ends being in direct contact with the wedge and having means to prevent lateral displacement thereof, an extension 11 11 said wedge, a spring mounted upon sai extension yieldingly engaging said stem and said rod and acting to force the wedge therebetween, and means for holding said spring against displace ment upon said extension.

2. In an automatic take-up device, the combination with the valve stem and push rod of an internal combustion engine, one of said members being provided on its end adjacent the other member with an inclined face, a wedge mounted between and in direct' .with said members whereby to force the wedge therebetween.

4. In an automatic take-up device, the combination of the valve stem and push rod of an internal combustion engine, a

wedge interposed between said parts in direct contact with each of the same, a bolt secured to the wedge, a spring bearing upon said stem and rod and adjustable means upon the bolt forming a seat for said spring.

5. In an automatic take-up device, the combination of two reciprocably mounted members, a wedge disposed between said members, a bolt carried by said wedge and having a nut on the free end thereof, and a spring interposed between said nut and adapted to be tensioned the nut.

'6. An automatic take-up device for two reciprocably mounted members comprising a wedge located between and in direct contact with each of said members and provided with an extended portion on its smallest end by the turning of said reciprocably mounted members and and a spring anchored upon said extended portion, said s ring being adapted to extend into yielding engagement with one or both of saidmovable members and to urge 5 thewedge between said members.

7. An automatic take-up device adapted for insertion between two relatively movable members comprising a wedge directly engaging each of said members, a rod directly connected with the wedge and extendin 10 longitudinally thereof and a spring carried by said rod and arranged to extend into engagement with both of said members to urge the wedge between the same.

In testimony whereof, I affix my sig- 15 nature. 1

FRANCIS JERDONE, J R. 

